From Greek: para allelois beside one another. Lines are parallel if they lie in the same plane, and are the same distance apart over their entire length. Try this Drag any orange dot at the points P or Q. As the line PQ moves, the line RS will remain parallel to it. Parallel lines remain the same distance apart over their entire length.
It is important to know whether the cancer has got into the lymph glands because they are one of the main mechanisms by which the cancer can spread to other parts of the body. As long as the spread is just to the lymph glands near to the colon then this would indicate Stage 3 cancer.
Lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs which produce and store blood cells that help fight disease and infection. Also known as lymph glands, lymph nodes remove cell waste and fluids from lymph (lymphatic fluid), and store lymphocytes (white blood cells). Cancer that starts in another part of the body and spreads to the lymph nodes is called a metastasis. 2  Even when cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, it is still named after the area of the body where it started. 3  Learn more about metastatic cancer, including diagnosis and treatment.